Building RV

[sjgotnitro]

New to the board, This site is great, I have quite a few question, but I will start with the most important ones first. We are building an all electric Motorhome. We do not want to have to deal with propane. I know some of the high end motorcoaches are doing it. The box will be 30 ft and well insulated.The current direction is to have 2- 15,000 BTU all electric heat pump/ air conditioners on the roof. And install electric baseboard inside only for emergency cold temps outside. The rig will primarly be used for racing and that is normally in weather above freezing. The direction also is to use a 18.5 kw generator, quite a few extra batteries and a couple of inverters.

Is there anyone out there has done this yet?
Any idea's or comments?
Does anyone have any ideas for the heating/cooling for an all electric rig?
Will a regular 110 house fridge work or is it better to buy a 12v rv fridge?

Thanks

 

[Patrick-TC]

IMO..LP is awesome. A 30 gallon tank will safely and inexpensively heat your water and run the fridge for 2 months. I'm sorry but I have no advice.

 

[Lonnie-TC]

sjgotnitro: Just a word of caution, the 15,000 BTU a/c is not recommended for a truck conversion. 13,500 Rough necks from coleman is as big as you should go. The others don't hold up well enough to the vibration. It's not truck
ride but the vibration that breaks the weld on smaller lines that are used.
I am with a mfg. and our rep said a competitor use to use 15,000 and they broke so often they won't warranty them any more.
just something to be aware of
Lonnie

 

[sjgotnitro]

Lonnie, Thank you, any advice would be greatly appreciated. Would 2 of the 13500 roughnecks be good enough for a 30 ft box. Any other advice as far as making an all electric coach.
Thanks

 

[KAYERIVERCITY]

sjgotnitro:...I'm doing what you are planning right now. I have a Volvo 610 tractor N-14 super 10 speed with a diesel 12,500 watt Onan and a 37' custom car hauler trailer- the first 12 feet are living quarters and the rest is garage...it is all insulated to a R-14 with R-Max polyisocynate foam board + spray foam for voids and some of the Refletix bubble wrap over the drivers area of the Volvo...We recalculated the heat and cool needed and increased the insulation and decreased the size of the unites to heat and cool...13,000 btu's will cool the living quarters easy, even in the hot sun...I'm also all electric because of a previous bad experience with propane. Water heater takes 40 min for 20 gallons to 100 degrees or so microwave and 2000 watt electric heater for the trailer and/or the Volvo whichever I'm using or even both if necesssary. Pix to follow so Bill can load them as my new Dell 'puter is beyond me......I'll have a rig that will cost about $45,000 when finished-with a truck that is set to go 102 mph at 2100 rpms.....up hill and down.....operational costs are minimal at the most....geof

 

[sjgotnitro]

Geoff
Thanks alot for the info. Our rig is a 379 pete streched frame to accomidate a 30 ft box which will be getting completed in about 2 or so months. Did you go with a residential fridge or an rv fridge. Also I see on the all electric buses they are using 2 3000 watt inverters, they state 4 additional 6v batteries are required for an all electric upgrade. I would like to find out about how many batteries are they running for the coach total. I guess I could send them some e-mails also to figure that out. We are currently heading towards a 18.5 generator. The trailer we are towing we require a bit of juice also plus that also will have a roof top air conditioner on it.

What type of water heater did you go with?

Any body have any info on water tanks and who is a good source for custom size tanks?

Thanks, Any info is appreciated.

 

[KAYERIVERCITY]

I have a 110vt refrig/microwave in the Volvo [>2cu ft.] and a 110vt chest freezer[5 cuft.]/microwave in the trailer which is stocked with Ice and frozen food...that is enough for me and a guest, and the dog of course. I don't stay out for longer than 2 weeks and I eat at resturants as much as possible 'cuz my cooking skills suck. The refrig takes 3.7 amps under load and the freezer takes 3.5 amps for about an hour once a day if you keep the lid closed. Microwave used 1200 wattts for a few seconds to heat something up the HWH takes 4000 wattts for an hour once a day and the foam lining keeps it warm all nite.It's a GE 220vt 20 gallon...I do have a portable propane grill with a standard
20 gallon tank for cooking outside IF I MUST....Freezer is more important than the refrig since I can heat anything in the microwave....Funny as it seems-I do have MRE's to eat they are fresh from the factory and NOT diet in any shape or form....I have been known to take along a GF that can cook.... but would rather go out to eat with me....any more questions don't hesitate to ask....geof -near Cincinnati

 

[KAYERIVERCITY]

One other thing is COST....my whole tractor and trailer rig is less than $45,000 so I use Home Depot Sears Walmart and other big box type home appliances..... I have found that RV stuff is JUNK and the warranty is usless-as I can go to Walmart get a replacement Microwave and return the old one for a warranty exchange almost anywhere in the USA...even on a Sunday or Christmas Day....[make sure you put it on an extended warranty credit card] try that with any RV product!....Rv refrigs are big bucks 'specially 3 ways.... where a Woods Freezer [$139.00]will freeze anything solid in about 2 hours and keep it frozen for a whole day with only one freezing cycle....check at farm supply stores or marine dealers for poly tanks of any size or shape...If I'm out in the boonies and need water I have a 300 gallon water tank that will fit on the Volvo rear deck if I need it...it's enough to fill a small portable inflatiable hot tub....geof

 

[onezman]

Hey geof, What are the specs for your Volvo?
Do you have any pictures of it? I'm betting
it's white.

onezman

 

[KAYERIVERCITY]

....I'm working on the pix...but being photographically challenged isn't helping-so I got to send photographs to Bill so he can put them on the site....I also have a real DELL Computer now and I'm having to relearn everything...OY!...my truck is a '97 build '98 inservice date Volvo VNL 64T. I bought it wholesale through Freightliner and then negociated "trade terms" isssues so it has all new 4 batterys 6 brakes, 6 drums and hardware and a new clutch, new tires [6 out of 10 so far rest will be here this week] 10 refurbished steel rims and a Cummins 2 year 200,000 mile warranty. The top and bottom end has been gone over all new gaskets and seals no leaks, dynoed, aligned -front and rears-trade cleaned[joke] new air dryer and delivered to Cincinnati....the truck has an artic kit installed which is just extra insulation and a fuel heater/filter/hood insulation.....we have removed the whole interior and removed the obsolete open cell foam and replaced it with super R-Max and the reflectix bubble wrap plus spray can foam in all the nooks and crannies. The interior cloth parts were steamed cleaned and extracted along with the seat covers and the foam padding and reinstalled....I have to do the dash and floor mats this week plus the bed is being built as the steel arrives.....I have been buying filters and oil for this week also and Blackstone labs has sent me sample kits for the rears, engine and transmission when I get ready for the change over to Shell products....The truck cost me $21,000 delivered and after " trade terms" were negociated the final price with tax and paperwork was $28,900 out the door....This has taken more than a year to get the truck I wanted and the price I was willing to pay-anotherwords on my terms.....All and All FYDA Freightliner has been more than an excellent Truck Dealer and I have been assured that If anyone wants to deal with "Freightliner Frank Bauer"....that they will get the new or used truck that they want at the price that they want to pay..geof kaye near cincinnati